Door mounting



W. A. SMITH DOOR MOUNTING ame 24, i 952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Dec. 6, 1949 x l: K

3nbentor WESLEY A. SMITH attorney .Fune 24, 1952 5M|TH 2,601,565

DOOR MOUNTING Filed Dec. 6, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 ISnventor WESLEY A. SMITH /g 9 Y K Gttonlcg Patented June 24, 1952 DOOR MOUNTING Wesley A. Smith, FerndaleQMich assignor to Tilt-A-Door Corporation, Detroit, Mich,- a corporation of Michigan Application December 6, 1949, Serial No. 131,290

11 Claims.

-'Ihis invention relates in general to a device for mounting a substantially one piece garage dfoor upon a door frame, and more particularly to a type of door mounting device having means for pivotally supporting said door upon said door frame about a horizontal axis.

-It has been found that presently known types of one piece, counter-weighted, garage doors fabricated from light materials, such as aluminum, plastic and plywood, and installed for opening andv closing by pivotal movement thereof about a horizontal axis, do not have suflicient structural strength, especially under conditions of frequent and/or rough usage, to be mounted upon a door frame by means of pins secured to the vertical edges thereof. Often, such a door will become bent about the axis of said pivot pins or become otherwise warped under vigorous operating conditions. Such warping becomes particularly evident where the door is used in commercial operations, or where its expanse is fairly large, such as in a one piece door for a double garage. One of the major causes for failure seems to be that the counterweight used in such doors is too heavy to be entirely supported by the door panels, which panels, as presently constructed, are pivotally supported upon the 'door frame.

Another problemin the installation of garage doors arises from the fact that the vertical door jambs are sometimes not parallel with each other. Furthermore, it has been found that in order to close the door tightly against said jambs, it is desirable to have that vertical door edge remote from the door lock contact its jamb first. Thus, it becomes highly desirable to provide a door having means whereby it can be adjustably and controllably distorted out of a true planar condition with relative ease at the time and place of installation. To provide a structure capable of being so distorted or twisted, but then capable of strongly resisting further or return twisting, has thus long been a highly desirable, but unattained insofar as I am aware, objective in the manufacture of garage doors.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is the provision of a sturdy, substantially integral, do'or mounting device upon which the panels of a vone piece garage door may be secured, and which will support the counterweights necessai'y for satisfactory operation of the door independently of the door panels.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a door mounting device, as aforesaid, which can be adjusted to impose a predetermined distortion, or warpage upon the door panel and 2 a which has means secured thereto for supporting said mounting device and the door panel secured thereto upon a door frame for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis. Another object of the invention is to provide a door capable of accomplishing the foregoing objectives without requiringv such great strength and resultant weight in the door panel that it becomes unreasonably expensive to make or heavy to use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a door, as aforesaid, in which a strong, relatively small, warpable, steel hanger is provided to support a relatively lightweight door panel and in which a' counterweight supporting means is utilized both as an integral part of the hanger and as a means to hold the door in an adjusted Warped, position.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent to persons familiar with this type of structure upon referring to the accompanying drawings and upon reading the following specification. i

In meeting those objects heretofore mentioned, as well as others incidental thereto and asso ciated therewith, I have provided a tubular beam having a substantially rectangular cross-section and a pair of parallel coextensive support arms adjustably secured at one end of each to the opposite ends of said beam, said arms extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said beam and in substantially the same direction therefrom. A pair of co-axial pivot pins are secured to said arms at points thereon equally and adjustably spaced from said beam and extending from the remote sides of said arms, for pivotal support of the mounting device upon a door frame. The door panel is mounted upon and supported by said beam and said arms.

For illustration of a preferred embodiment of this invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a broken, front elevation view of the door mounting device to which this invention relates including a broken line showing of a portion of the door panel mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a, broken, side elevation view of a door including said door mounting device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III--III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-V of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VIVI of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a. perspective view of a fragment of said door in a horizontal position.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a fragment of said door in a vertical position and shows an alternate door hanger.

Figure 1 9 illustrates a. modifiedvconstruction in the region where the door panelisfastenedto the counterweight beam.

As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the door mounting device III is comprised of an elongated, hollow, counterweight beam I I, which also. fu'nctions as a torque tube, having left and rightsupport arms I2 and I3, respectively, secured at. the, upper end of each to the opposite ends of said beam II in a manner hereinafter described in detail.

For convenience in description the terms, leftf' or leftwardly and right or rightwardly, as usedin this specification, shall be understood to. mean le'ftwardly andrightwardly' of themountingjdevice, or parts. thereof, when, positioned as appearing in Figure 1. The terms, upperf or upwardly? and.lower' or downwardly? shall haverefe'rence to the mounting device when positinned. toefiect adoor closure (Figure 1),. The

ter s, .outside"? and inside shall have. reference the .geo 'etriccenter of the mounting device.

The beam II' (Figures 1, 3 and'4)', which may be .c onstruoted in any conventional manner, is lqlifeferalolyv fabricated from heavy gauge sheet metal; such. as steel, of suffici'ent strength to. support the counterweights I4 placed therein, and comprises an upperwall I5, a. lower wall It, 'a frontwalldl and a. rear Wall Ill. The, front and rearljwalls, I. 'I and I 8, respectively areon the front 'andrear sides of" the door assembly ,I'9.. when in sarily, mirror images of each. other and are secured to opposite ends of the beam II prefer-1 ably 'in identically the-same manner. Accordingly, the-following description of the left support arm I2 and the manner and means for secure: ment thereof to the beam I I, shall be understood to apply in substance to theright-support" arm I-3.

The left support arm I2, which" is preferably fabricated from a structural angle (Figures 3, 1 and comprises a longflange 22 anda short flange 2 3,. The left arm I2 is positioned with respect to the leftwardv end of the beam I I (Figure '4) so that the long'flange 22' 'bears' against the leftward ends of the walls of, the beam II and is substantially perpendicular to. the longitudinal axis offthe beam I I, and,1 further,,'so that the short lange .23. is' substantially parallel with, and adiac ent to, the outside surface of the rear wall I8,

The first flange 2 Iv of a. structural angle 25 (Figure 4) is secured to the inside surface of' the front wall I] of the beam II in any convenient manner, as welding, so that. the outside surface of, the second flange 26 of said angle 25 liessub stantially within a plane definedby the leftward ends of the walls of the beam II. Thus, when in proper position, the long flange 22 of the left arm I2 is substantially parallel with and adjacent to the outside surface of the second flange 26.

A sheet metal end cap 21 is shaped to extend from the rear wall I8 around the free end of the short flange 23 along the outside surfaces of both the short and long flanges 23.,and22, respectively, and terminates with a panel support flange 28 substantially parallel withand extending leftwardly from, the front wall II of the beam II.

The short flange 23, the adjacent portion of the endcap 21, and an elongated, metal rear shim 33, which may be provided along the short flange 213 against the outside surface of the end cap 21,

are. secured. to..fthe; rear wall I8 preferably by means of the upper and lower rear bolts 3| and 32 respectively. The rear shim 33 is provided to strengthen the securement of the end cap 21 upon the short flange 23. The bolt openings in the rear wall I8 and the rear shim 33, through which the bolts 3l' and 32" extend, are preferably circular and just large enough to slidably receive the bolts 3I- and32l' However, the shortfla 'nge- 23 and thatportion of the end cap 21 adjacent thereto are provided with vertically elongated; adjustment slots 34 and 35 for slidable andver tically adjustable reception of the bolts 31 and 32, respectively, thereth-rough. Accordingly," it is apparent from Figure Gthat when the. bolts 331 and 32 are loosened, the short flange and-that portion of the'end cap 21 adjacent thereto-.may be moved upwardly and downwardly with re'spect to the rear wallla' and the rear shim 3-3.

The long, flange 22" of the and His secured to; the second flange 26 of the structural angleby means of the upper and lower sidebolts and 31, respectively. The second flange 28 an a side shim' 38', similar to the rear shim '33an'd disposed on theoutside of that pursuant the end-cap 21 adjacent to the long flange 22, are preferably provided with circular openings throughwhich the bolts 36' and 31 may pass-.' Thelong fla'ng e} 2'2 and adjacent portion ofthe end cap 2'11maybe provided with an oversized opening; 39 through which the u per side bolt extends, thereby permitting rotational movement of said lone" flange 22 andthe adjacent portion of} the end cap 21 about the lower bolt 31 and-with respect tofthe side shinr 38,.and the second flange 26 when, the side bolts 36 and 31, are loosened,

Accordingly it will be. observed that thearijii'st ment slots Hand andthe oversized openin 39 permit adjustability of the left supporta I2 about the longitudinal axis of thefbeam III. and within a plane substantially perpendicular thereto.

The lower end of" the long flange22 extending downwardly from; the counterweight beam Illis; provided. with. one or morecircularv pivot. pin openingslll through which the left, pivot pin 142 may extend leftwardly from the longflange 22,

As illustrated, in the drawings, the. pivot pins, 42 and 42a are mounted in the lowermost pair, of openings and lla in theflanges 22"and 2,2d, respectively.

Bymountingisaid pins in a higher pair. of.

openings, and by increasingv the counterweight within the .beam. I I, thesame door maybe used; in a 'door'fr'a'me having a higherclearance. Said pivot pin 42 may. be.adjusi'ablyv secured, to the long flange. 22 by means of adiustmen'tshp'ulder nutsj 43..and 44' (Figure 5). A, pivotpin' shim 45 may vbeplaced along. the voutsidesurface he end caplZ'I for stren thenin'gethe;supportithfiteot upon the long flange 22. The left pivot pin 42 may be rotatably supported upon and within a cylindrical bracket 46, which bracket may be secured in any conventional, convenient manner upon the vertical side jamb 41 of a door frame (not shown).

The right pivot pin 42a is identical wlth'the left pivot pin 42, in this embodiment, and is secured to the long flange 22a of the right support arm I3 in identically the same manner as is the left pivot pin 42 and is coaxial with said left pivot pin.

The precise manner in which the door panel, or panels, 48 are secured to the beam II and support arms l2 and I3 may be varied substantially within the scope of this invention. In this embodiment, the vertical edges of the door panel 48 are folded around the free edges of the panel support flanges 28 and 28a (Figures 1 and 4) of the end caps 21 and 21a. The upper edge of the front wall I1 of the beam is folded downwardly upon itself and then bent around and upwardly behind the securing flange 2| of the lower wall IS. The bent portion 50 of the panel- 48 may be secured to the securing flange 2| by any convenient means, such as the screws 5|. As an alternative to the method of effecting this securement by the screws 5|, the bent portion 50a (Figure 9) may be sprung to grip frictionally said flange 2|. The wall I! of the beam l, the panel support flanges 28 and 28a of the end caps 21 and 21a, and the door panel 48 (Figure 1) all cooperate to provide the front surface of the door assembly H]. v

An elongated access opening- 52 may be provided in the front wall I1 for the purpose of inserting the counterweights 4, which in this particular embodiment of the invention may be standard building brick, within the counterweight beam I. Accordingly, the proper amount of counterweight can be fully and readily adjusted to the particular application.

Operation It will be seen from the above description, that the left and right support arms l2 and I3 are rigidly, but adjustably, secured to opposite ends of the counterweight beam II and that the pivot pins 42 and 4211 are rigidly, but adjustably, secured to the left and right support arms l2 and I3, respectively. Thus, the counterweights l4 within the beam II are supported entirely independently of the door panel 48, which is in turn supported upon the beam and support arms l2 and I3.

The necessary distortion, or warping, of the door panel 48 may be easily accomplished by loosening the rear bolts 3| and-32 and the side bolts 36 and 3'! at either or both ends of the beam H and then rotating either or both of the support arm l2 and I3 about the lower side bolts 31 and 31a (Figures 2 and 3) within planes substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the beam When the appropriate distortion has been accomplished, the rear and side bolts are then tightened and the door assembly I9 is ready for operation.

In this way the hollow beam functions as a torque tube which is sufficiently rigid to resist the tendency of the warped panel to rotate the support arms, bolted thereto, back to the positions they held before the warp was imposed'upon the panel. Tests have shown that this structure provides strength far beyond anything with which I have been familiar'p-rior hereto. For example,

Cir

with the door in a horizontal position, a person may suspend his entire weight from one corner thereof without destroying the adjustment of the door or otherwise distorting it.

By supporting the counterweight on the steel of the support arms, rather than upon the material of the door, and by holding the support arms in an adjusted position by bolting them to the beam N, there is provided an extremely strong, self-contained unit for supporting a door panel whereby none of the weight of the counterweight nor the stress imposed upon the beam by the warped panel is borne by said door panel. Thus, an extremely light door panel may be used, thereby promoting both an ease of handling and an economy of fabrication without sacrifice of strength or durability.

Although the above mentioned drawings and description apply to one particular preferred embodiment of the invention, it is not my intention, implied or otherwise, to eliminate other variations or modifications which do not depart from the scope of the invention unless specifically stated to the contrary in the hereinafter appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a counterweight supporting structure for supporting a garage door, the combination comprising: an elongated, hollow beam of substantially rectangular cross-section; an angular support arm at each end thereof, each including a first flange positioned perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the beam and a second flange perpendicular to said first flange and lying closely against one face of said beam; means defining openings in said second flange and said face, said openings being in register and one being elongated in a direction transverse of said beam; a bolt through said openings and a nut thereon holding said second flange tightly against said face; an angle member having one leg adjacent to that face of said beam opposite said one face and having another leg adjacent to said first flange, openings through one of said legs and the member adjacent thereto, said openings being in register and one of said openings being elongated in a direction transversely of said beam; a bolt through said openings and a nut thereon holding said one leg releasably affixed to the said member adjacent thereto; axially aligned pivot pins on said support arms at points thereon spaced from said beam and extending oppositely to each other; and said beam and said arms being adapted for supporting a door panel; whereby upon loosening of said nuts said support arms may be rotated about the axis of said beam for warping said door panel, and upon retightening of said nuts said beam and said arms will hold said panel in said warped position in addition to receiving and holding Within said beam a plurality of counterweight elements.

2. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein the angle member is permanently aflixed to the face of said beam opposite said one face thereof and is affixed as described in claim 1 to the first flange of said support arm.

3. In a garage door pivotally supported about a horizontal axis upon a door frame, the combination comprising: an elongated, hollow steel beam having a rectangular cross-section, and adapted to receive counterweight means therewithin; an integral door panel having side frame members; a pair of parallel coextensive, steel arms independent of the door panel; means se curing one end of each of said arms to opposite 7 ends-of saidbeam, said arms being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said beanryand extending in the same direction therefrom and being adjustable. about said axis, said means-.ibeing loosenable to permit limited rotation; of said arms about-an axis within and longitudinal. of said beam; means mounting said door 4. In a garage door, pivotally supported for.

rotation about a horizontal axisupon a door frame, the combination comprising: an elongated, hollow, steel beam having a rectangular crosssection and adapted to receive counter weight means therein; a pair of parallel, coextensive, steel arms, each thereof secured at one o'f their respective ends to the respectively opposite ends of said hollow beam, and the other end of each of said arms having a pivot pin, said arms extending parallel with respect to each other and in the same direction from said steel beam and: said pivot pins extending oppositely to each other; a pair of aluminum side frame elements closely overlaying each of said steel arms and means affixing said side frame elements to each of said respective steel arms; a door panel mounted on and supported by said aluminum side elements.

5. In a counterweight supporting structure for supporting a garage door, the combination comprising: an elongated, hollow beam of substantiall-yrectangular cross section; a support arm ateach end thereof, each support arm including a'fi-rst flange positioned perpendicularly to the longitudinal, axis of said beam and a second flange positioned perpendicularly to said first flangeandlying closely against one face of said beam; means defining openings through said second flange, said openings being in register, and one being elongated in a-direction transverse of said beam; releasable fastening means extending through said openings for holding said secondsflange tightly against said face; an angle member having one leg adjacent to that face of saidbeam opposite said one face and having another legaadjacent to said first flange, openings through one of said legs and the member adjacentthereto, said openings being in register, and one of said openings being elongated in a direction transversely of said beam; releasable fastening means extending through said openings for holding said one leg releasably aflixed to the said member adjacent thereto; means afiixin'glsaid other leg to the member adjacent thereto; axially, aligned pivot pins on said support armszat points thereon spaced from said beam, said." beam and said arms being adapted for supportinga door panel.

6.. In-a garage door pivotally supported about a horizontal axis upon a door frame, the combinationcomprising: an elongated hollow steel beam having a-rectangular cross section, and adapted to receive counterweight means therewithin; a pair of. parallel, co-extensive steel arms; means securing one'end of each of said arms to opposite ends of saidbeam, said arms being substantially perpendicular. to the longitudina1 axis of said beam and extending in the same direction therefrom and'said means permitting-limited rotation:

of said arms aboutthe saidlongitudinal,axis-or a d. beam; eas e me ns din a drms fixedly with respect to said means; a panel-secured to andsup orted upon'said beam and said arms, said panel, being slightly distortable. by limited rotation of said arms with respect to said beam; a. pair of: co-axial pivot pins secured to and extending from the-remote sides andv other ends of said armsfor pivotal support upon said door frame.

7. In a garage door pivotally supported in a door frame about a horizontal axis the-combination comprising: anelongated counterweight beam; a pair of steel arms-positioned respectively adjacent eachend of. said beam; means mount,-

ing each of said arms to said-beam and permitting pivotal movement of each of saidarms with re;- spect to said beam substantially on the central axis. of said beam; meansclamping said armsin a selected position with respect .to saidbeam; pivot means on said armsat points thereon spaced from saidbeam, said pivotmeansbeing co-axial with eachother and adapted for reception by support means-arranged on saidframe'; a door panelhaving side frame members, said frame members lying parallel with; and adjacent, each of said. arms'respectively and an edge of said panel between said side frame members positioned adjacent-said beam; meansfastening,

each of said sideframe members respectively to said adjacent ones of said. arms.

8. In garage door. construction, for providing, a door swingableon a horizontal axisand sup: ported on a door frame, the combinationcoma prising: a panel; a, frame-work for. supporting said panel. comprising. a-beam, a, pair of arms extending respectively from each end of said beam and a -pair of pivot means positioned re-, spectively on. each. of said arms at points. thereon. spaced from said beam, said pivotmeans being adaptable for pivotal support in said frame, said. arms being afiixed to said beam for limited piv-- otal movement with respect thereto and means clamping said arms in a selected position with respect to said beam;- means mounting said panel onto said armsadjacentsaid beam.

9. In a counterweight supporting-structure for supporting a garagedoor, the combination com --v prising: an elongated beam of substantially rectangular cross section; an; angular support arm at each endthereof, each arm including a first flange positioned perpendicularly to the longitudinalaxis of the beam and asecond flange perpendicular to said firstflange and lying closely against one face of said beam; clamping means holding said secondflange tightly against said face; an angle member having one leg adjacent to that faceof saidbeam opposite said one face and having anotherdeg adjacent to said first flange; clamping means holding one of said legs and the member adjacent thereto flxed with respect to each other; co-axially positioned pivot pins respectively on each of said support arms at points thereonspaced from'said beam; whereby upon loosening of said clamping means said support arms. maybe rotated about the axis of said beam for warping said door panel and upon re-tightening of said clamping means said beam and said arms will hold said panel in said warped position.

10. In a closure pivotally supported in a frame about a horizontal axisthe combination comprising: an elongated counterweight beam; a pair of metallic arms positioned respectively adjacent each. end of said beam; means mcuntingeachof said arms to said beam and permitting pivotal movement of each of said arms with respect to said beam substantially on the central axi of said beam; means clamping said arms in a selected pivotal position with respect to said beam;

pivot means on said arms at points thereon spaced from said beam, said pivot means being co-axial with each other and adapted for reception by support means arranged on said frame; a panel having a pair of side frame members, said frame members each lying adjacent each of said arms respectively and an edge of said panel between said side frame members positioned adjacent said beam; means fastening each of said side frame members respectively to said adjacent ones of said arms.

11. In closure construction, for providing a closure swingable on a horizontal axis and supported on a frame peripherally surrounding said closure, the combination comprising: a panel; a frame-work for supporting said panel comprising REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,054,191 Byrne Sept. 15, 1936 2,067,623 Smith Jan. 12, 1937 

